With Christmas right around the corner – many kids and teens have Airsoft guns on their list. These guns can look like a regular gun, and are sold in sporting good and other retail stores. They are used to shoot 6 mm plastic pellets at targets or each other. They are different than BB guns that fire the metal pellets and are not made to shoot at each people. The name Airsoft gun can be misleading. Airsoft guns are made to be shot at other people in games. They can leave welts on the skin but are not supposed to break the skin. The big danger comes with the eyes. If the eye gets struck it can cause scratches, painful pooling of blood inside the eye, lense dislocation or blindness. The AAP recommends that kids that use these guns wear paintball protective eyewear. Look for a label that says the glasses meet the ASTM F1776 safety standards.
Have fun but stay safe!
Missy Nicholson, CPNP
